Withering Patience
by Milai Sapphire
Summary: NOTE: Follows the new Prince of Tennis manga series Shin Tenipuri . Yukimura's reflection following the U-17 tennis camp matches. A fear that everything would change...


**Author's Note: **Soo haven't read or written anything relating to PoT in a while. D: *gasp* And finally went back to watch Rikkaimyu 2nd Service with my friend the other day (before I started writing this), so wishing myself luck with this fanfic. Just a warning, but this follows after an event in the new tenipuri manga series (Shin Tenipuri).

Written for Hanakotoba Challenge. Thanks to yoshikochan for the beta-ing. xD;;; hehehe~ Comments welcome :3

And before I don't forget (not that I would): I don't own these amazing characters created by Konomi-sensei 3

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**Title:** Withering Patience  
**Author:** Milai Sapphire  
**Pairing: **Sanada x Yukimura  
**Hanakotoba Theme: **Azalea/Tsutsuji/躑躅

Yukimura laid back against the pillow of his bed. The U-17 tennis camp had only begun, and the competition would be fierce. It was a reality he had known from the moment he accepted the invitation. Even so, he never would have imagined within only a few days the tables would turn that quickly. Only because of Sanada's endless support and assistance was he once again able to stand back on the tennis court. All said and done, at the end of that match, his debt was repaid. He gave his companion an unforgettable match. Yet, despite that, he still wanted so much more.

Quickly fanning through the remaining pages of his book and resting the novel on his lap, a soft fragrance from the flower bed outside his window wavered past his nose as a light evening breeze filtered through the window. Beneath his hands, a shriveled flower petal brushed softly against the edge of his fingertips. The last set of flowers he had received from Sanada just after his discharge from the hospital. While this petal had continued to wither and shrivel, his anxiety and impatience had continued to grow.

_Sanada... _

He could not recall the last time a match or a meeting between them had ended so abruptly. Truth be told, he had expected that Sanada would be the last one standing on the court. The vice captain had a strong will to win, losing to even Yukimura himself was unacceptable. Perhaps he had been gone from the tennis court a bit too long. Pressing the single petal between his fingers to his lips, a smile spread across his face.

"Genichirou..." With closed eyes, he whispered that name once more as if a child making a wish on a star. He had neither seen the vice captain's face nor heard from him following that match. "Strange isn't it..." Yukimura exhaled softly, placing the flower petal back within the pages of the book beside the pressed azalea. At that time, no last words were spoken, but he understood. The look in Sanada's eyes had changed, just as Yukimura's condition had been changing as well. The few years he could stand by him as he had before would, or rather, had all come to an end. He had never expected his words and actions would have such an impact on Sanada as it did.

Placing his book on the side table, Yukimura turned his feet to the edge of the bed and reached for the cellphone at the edge of the side table.

There was nothing he regretted. He wanted there to be something more between them, wanted to push their relationship further. But the thing he had feared most before the surgery was that Sanada would accept out of sympathy. That was why he could only say those words after he was discharged, as they were standing on equal grounds. But once again, the tables turned. Would he think his actions were out of sympathy? After that match, could they still see things eye to eye?

The sound of the speed-dialed number echoed in the quiet room. Yukimura raised the phone to his ear, his cellphone charm rattling in the background.

"...Sanada." The deep voice on the other line, forced Yukimura to take a deep breath to keep his composure. Heavy breathing could be heard as the background to the silence that ensued. Even now, he surely was doing his own training. Same as always. but that never ending desire to stand at the top, was a part of Sanada that Yukimura had grown to like. He knew that without that drive and passion, Rikkaidai would not be near the level it was at currently.

"It's...Yukimura, Genichirou." His greeting was met with silence. Yukimura walked towards the open window frame placing one hand on the window sill leaning forward to look down at the flower bed beneath the sill. Under the emerging full moon's light, he took notice of a petal flutterring to the ground. "Don't you have anything to say to me? After our match..."

"Yukimura." The tone of Sanada's voice changed. Disappointment? Rikkaidai's captain couldn't tell what the other was feeling at that moment, but the sound of his voice only put a knife in his chest. "You did your best, so there is nothing else to say on that matter. Just continue to give your best throughout the training camp, for the both of us."

"I know. And I wouldn't give anything less than my best in a match against you. But that's not why I..."Yukimura hinted to another topic, one that had been untouched for a while. A question awaiting an answer.

"About that, we...should talk, Yukimura. I've reached the path near the camp entrance. I'll meet you there." Before Yukimura could ask another word, especially about the surveillance, the other line had been cut. Just like Sanada. He looked across the room to the empty bed. There were no regrets, he reassured himself. Ever since they had entered the tennis club together, such an opportunity could only be hoped for. Since they had both worked so hard to reach this point, the least he could do would be to continue to play for the both of them.

Moving back from the window, Yukimura grabbed the room key from the side table, flipped the light switch off and headed out the door. The path was well lit by the night lights that lined the walkway, surveillance cameras spotted here and there. Under any other conditions, this kind of watchful eye would be suffocating, but since it was for the sake of tennis, he could endure it for now. As he approached near the entrance, his pace hurriedly came to rest upon taking notice of a figure leaning against the lamp post.

"Sanada." Yukimura's pace hasten for the short distance that separated them. "Sorry for the wait. I wasn't expecting you to come here, and especially at this time. Will it be okay going back? It's already dark." The tall figure nodded and stood straight before Yukimura's lithe figure.

"I'll be fine, no need to worry yourself about me."Sanada walked past the Rikkai captain, whose smile slowly faded from his lips.

Sanada's words were harsh. Although Yukimura knew they weren't meant to be taken that way, he still felt his feelings being thrown aside by those words. "...I can't help worrying about you, Genichirou. After all you had done for me ever since I was diagnosed with that disease and hospitalized, worrying this much pales in comparison." He turned around to face Sanada's back, a small wind had blown through even the smallest space between them, dampening his words to mere thought. _Because I depend on you so much, allow me at least that much if I can't...  
_  
Although Sanada's steps came to a halt, the vice captain had no words as a response. Instead, in an accidental whisper, out came the topic. "...love..."Yukimura tilted his head to the side as if to question the other's intention. Sanada's arms folded across his chest. "It never was what you thought Yukimura."

A pang of rejection shook his heart, and his hand clenched the fabric of his loosely fitted shirt. Just as he had expected. _Because it was Sanada. _Yukimura concealed the growing bitterness with the usual smile. "Just what I thought you would say..." As hard as he tried to conceal the emotions, his voice quivered in just the slightest. For a brief moment he could have sworn that a wintry breeze sent a chill through his body, even though winter was still several months away.

Sanada looked back at Yukimura. "It still isn't what you think it is. I couldn't give you a direct answer because I needed time, Seiichi. Patience." Yukimura looked at the hand that grasped his wrist fiercely, but within that strong grip an undeniable gentleness and warmth still remained. "All I know right now is that I depend on you as much as you on me.,,but,,," Sanada's words stopped for a brief second. Under the darkness of his cap, Yukimura could barely make out the expression on the vice captain's face. With his one free hand, the tennis captain reached up and removed the black cap from atop the other's head and moved a step closer. A soft pink color exuded from the vice captain's cheek. Sanada's blush. Yukimura broke his wrist from Sanada's loosened grasp, and softly placed his hand against Sanada's cheek moving the vice captain's averted eyes back to focus on his own.

"But?"Midnight blue eyes peered into the pair of brown eyes focused on him. It had been a while since he had seen Sanada waver so much before. It never was in school matters or even tennis, only in things that concerned Yukimura.

"...I don't want that to change. About how things will end up later, I can say I'm not sure, but I know that even if I ever had to, I could never leave your side, Seiichi. Because..."

Yukimura wrapped his arms around Sanada's neck in a sudden embrace, and pressed his lips against Sanada's own before he could finish his sentence. Although he knew the words he had been awaiting followed, he couldn't give into the reality just yet. He had been fearful of what might follow afterwards in all of the uncertainty. Unlike he had thought earlier, he could subside his selfishness and continue this way a bit longer. Pulling back from their kiss, Yukimura smiled, "That's all I need for now. When you're 100% sure you can say those words then I'll listen. For now, I'll take your promise to never leave my side as your love for me."

~終わり～

～END～


End file.
